16/02/10

its amazing how fast 3 months goes. Amanda and I are getting married in 13 days. that just seems crazy. only 13 more days of being single. only 13 more days of sleeping by myself. I think that will be the biggest change.  Sometimes I think of my life as movie. I stare out a window listening to contemplative music, and then think about all the people and places I have been over the last few years. what is happening at those places, and how people are carrying on with their lives, with or without thought of my interaction with them at whatever time that occurred. do you ever do this?

I am trying to practice guitar everyday at this point in time. I am doing the learn and master guitar course by steve krenz. It is wonderful to be learning something again. (after being out of school for 3 years, its nice to stimulate my brain again to expand my knowledge) and this course is a truly great thing. 20 sessions with DVD’s, practice CD’s to play along with, a workbook, and probably my favorite thing: a forum community online with everyone who is doing the course. It is here that I take great solace, as everyone can sympathize with my difficulties in session 4, in learning all the notes, and their locations in the open position, using all 6 strings, and mastering the notated exercises using all 6 strings. Many joke about “setting up camp” and “camping out” on session  4. The longest I have seen is some guy spent 5.5 months there. I greatly admire his discipline. It sure seems like I could spend that amount of time on these exercises. Its already been a month. You know, I have decided in this guitar learning experience,that the hardest part about working, is mustering up the gumption and making the decision to dive in and chug away. Always, it seems when I can bring myself to do this, its just gets easier. Amanda says I am progressing greatly. At the very least, this greatly encourages me to keep going. Thanks Perkins. She is going to make a wonderful wife I am so blessed Too many times, I am my own worst enemy and stop doing something because i feel like I am failing. But, this time will be different. my hope that is in 5 years, I will be playing whatever I want on the guitar.

Mom, Dad, Jon and Maria come out next week. I am greatly looking forward to that. Really weird that they will be in Romania, but really neat. I am stoked to see them. I am so grateful for how well Amanda fits into my family. In-laws seem like a potentially very stressful part of life, but that doesnt seem like it will be the case with my family. (famous last words. haha).

Other than them coming out and nuptials on the horizon, and guitar playing, I have greatly been enjoying the new hot chip album, beach house, four tet and torro y moi. 2010 has been amazing year already for music. Also cycling on my ipod: embryonic: the flaming lips, a chorus of storytellers: the album leaf, and to remind me of what I am working towards– Joe Bonamossa, and Jimi Hendrix on occasion as well.

I also connected with a new student to tutor, and of course, he is Korean, a 9 year old at the british school here.

One thing that I have really grown to appreciate while being here in Romania, is being in a missionary community. Everyone looks out for one another here, like I have never seen in America. For example, the staff where Amanda’s parents teach, have all signed up to cook meals for us while Jane recovers from surgery, and while Amanda focuses on the wedding and her school. This is a normal thing that the staff does when someone there is sick or disabled. so for the next month or so we will be recieving 3 meals a week. Already had some gimbab (korean sushi) and delicious pot pie last night. Also amazing is that a friend here initiated taking up some money for amanda and I for our honeymoon. After everyone in the school and church community finished, Amanda and I will actually have some money to do something with when we go to prague.

How amazing. Thank you friends, and thank you Jesus for your provision.

~ by dabhandeddrifter on February 16, 2010.